"Find an activity that you love. I discovered hula-hooping!"
Start weight: 19st 2lb | Weight loss: 7st
Current weight: 12st 6lb
Height: 5' 8" | Age: 49
Studio: Ilford, Essex
Wellness Coach: Leigh Wood
I’ve always been ‘big-boned’
All through my childhood I was very active, playing netball and doing athletics, so I remained a healthy weight. At 20, I moved to the Caribbean, got married and had my first child. I managed to stay slim, but in my 30s, I moved back to the UK, and lived next door to a Chinese takeaway and a fish and chip shop. Because my husband and son had to wait nine months before joining me in the UK, I was lonely, and turned to food for comfort.
Soon, I was wearing a size 26
I had high blood pressure, high cholesterol and suffered with pain and numbness in my legs. My GP warned me that my weight was the problem. At that point, I did no exercise, and would even wait for a bus to avoid a five-minute walk.
I joined WW after my mum passed away
She’d hoped that I’d get healthy, and I knew I had to make a change. The first week I lost 5lb, but, knowing I’d have to do more than just eat better, I bought a cross trainer. At first, I could only manage three minutes, but soon built it up to 30. It wasn’t long before I was losing weight and toning up.
Find an activity you love!
Since getting more active, I’ve discovered hula-hooping – it was hard to keep it going at first, but after spending a few weeks working out along to YouTube videos, I’d got the hang of it. Now, I hula-hoop three or four times a week, with dance music blasting. It’s so much fun, and I earn two or three FitPoints® per session.
My health problems have disappeared
I feel like a new person. It’s amazing to think that a bit of exercise has made such a difference to my quality of life. Even now, people are shocked to learn how big I was, because I don’t have loose skin. But I believe that’s because I exercised from the start. Exercising and healthy eating is my new ‘normal’ and I feel like the best version of myself.